YWCA USA: Support Survivors and Speak Out

YWCA USA: Support Survivors and Speak Out

STATEMENT BY YWCA USA CEO ALEJANDRA Y. CASTILLO

“Recently, new stories of sexual assault and harassment dominate the news cycle. But women, survivors and advocates confront these issues every day, whether or not they make the press. From the White House to the halls of Congress, from Hollywood to main street, men use their positions of relative authority and power to intimidate women and survivors of violence into silence. Whether through Twitter, nondisclosure clauses, slander, career sabotage or physical violence, the act of silencing women and survivors is oppressive and morally bankrupt.

“The fact that voters are consistently faced with viable candidates who have committed violence against women and children underscores the severity and gravity of this problem. However, we are heartened that perseverance and civic engagement continues in spite of significant voter suppression. Black women in particular have continued to raise their voices and organize their communities against injustice.

“Together, we must keep working to address our country’s pervasive and insidious culture of gender-based violence, as YWCAs are doing daily in communities across the country. We know that accountability for abusers is imperative in order to eradicate gender-based violence. Until that day comes, YWCA will continue to support survivors, call for justice, and work to empower women.”

About YWCA USA

YWCA USA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, stand up for social justice, help families, and strengthen communities. We are one of the oldest and largest women’s organizations in the nation, serving over 2 million women, girls, and their families.

YWCA has been at the forefront of the most pressing social movements for more than 150 years — from voting rights to civil rights, from affordable housing to pay equity, from violence prevention to health care reform. Today, we combine programming and advocacy in order to generate institutional change in three key areas: racial justice and civil rights, empowerment and economic advancement of women and girls, and health and safety of women and girls. Learn more: www.ywca.org.